Food service on modern commercial airliners is facilitated by the use of wheeled non-refrigerated carts. Typically, a caterer arranges selected food items on trays, which are then loaded into the carts. The carts are delivered to the aircraft for stowage during takeoff. After takeoff, the carts are wheeled through the aisle of the aircraft, and the passengers are served from the carts by flight attendants. The wheeled carts are also utilized in beverage service. In the latter case, trays are used to store beverage cans, glassware, ice, etc. in the carts which, once again, are wheeled through the aircraft aisle to facilitate beverage service to the passengers.
Heretofore, it has not been feasible to serve ice cream and similar frozen confections to aircraft passengers. This is because there has not heretofore been provided a feasible means of maintaining ice cream in the frozen state during transport from the provider to the aircraft and during takeoff until passenger service. Typically, from the time the food and beverage trays are loaded onto a cart by a provider until the items are served to aircraft passengers, up to four hours pass, during which time ice cream would soften and melt.
The present invention overcomes the foregoing and other deficiencies long since associated with the prior art. In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, there is provided an insulated container which is adapted for receipt and transport by the wheeled carts which are typically utilized in the service of food and beverages to aircraft passengers. The container is adapted to receive and store frozen food items during the takeoff phase of aircraft travel and prior to delivery to aircraft passengers.
More particularly, the present invention comprises a container with a thermally insulating material contained between an inner and outer shell, which is adapted to be received and transported by the wheeled carts utilized for commercial airline food service. The containers are provided with an insulated lid which allows access to the contents of the container when the container is partially withdrawn from the wheeled cart. Thus, the container facilitates passenger service while maintaining a reduced temperature atmosphere within the container. Preferably, each container is provided with one or more receptacles adapted to receive dry ice, which further insures the maintenance of the reduced temperature atmosphere within the container until the frozen food is served therefrom.